It appears parents in Ohio never taught their children the major words “please and thank you,” or taught them any manners at all. The Atlantic published a study in December conducted by the Marchex Institute that revealed Ohioians swear more than people in any other state. Using conversations recorded on the phone between people and customer-service representatives, swear-word usage was tracked all across the nation. 

More than 600,000 phone calls from the past year were analyzed in the process. After the data were compiled, we were ranked No. 1. According to The Atlantic, “People in Ohio cursed the most as compared to every other state in the Union: They swore in one of about every 150 phone conversations.” 

While our sports teams may not get us on the map, our swearing habits sure did. It may not be something to be proud of, but hey, at least we kind of won something.

Emily Ribnik, a professional clinical counselor and supervisor at Kent State’s Stark Campus Counseling Services, said she wasn’t shocked that Ohio was at the top of the list, but she didn’t expect us to be No. 1. 

“One thing I do want to point out is that swearing – in certain situations – might be the more appropriate way to deal with stress. If it comes down to a situation where you would just walk away and swear a little bit instead of getting physical with or fighting someone, then I would say that swearing would be the better option,” Ribnik said. 

Students might find swearing to be a stress reliever or a normal part of daily conversation. “It is definitely a part of my daily vocabulary! Especially when I’m at school because I get so frustrated,” freshman criminal justice major Elexa Petrovic said.

Ribnik gave tips for the best way to break the swearing habit. She said it’s best to ask yourself if you could step away from the situation, take a couple of deep breaths while counting to 10 and try to bring your energy and agitation level down. This way, civil and professional conversations are possible, and you can avoid having a conversation taking a negative or unprofessional turn because of swearing. 

Try to keep these tips in mind if you’re in a situation that escalates quickly, or when you find yourself frustrated. If you can’t control it and get accused of cussing like a sailor, just smile and say, “Welcome to Ohio!” 

Contact Erin Zaranec at [email protected].